Voice of the people: Karen Overstreet

September 23, 2013 9:04:30 AM

A 'vital service'

For the past 10 years, Annunciation Catholic Church's St. Vincent de Paul Society has served in our community working alongside with Helping Hands, Salvation Army, Owens' Foundation and Love in Deed of First Baptist Church. Each of these ministries seeks to help those in our community who face crisis of any kind. Often these crises result in need for financial assistance with utilities, rent, mortgages, educational certifications, school supplies, clothing, food, and other necessities of life. As we work with our clients, those working full-time, part-time, unemployed, or disabled, we encourage them to seek to improve their lives with their own efforts.

However, for many of these individuals, transportation to work or to school remain an obstacle to furthering their education or getting to and from work. Often we provide transportation to hospitals for treatment or to doctor's appointments, because, when the client looks to "catch a ride," the cost is as much as $10 for a ride downtown from the housing projects.

That is why we were so thrilled when the city took the initiative to provide bus transportation for our community, ... a community filled with individuals held back by lack of mobility for improving their day-to-day lives. It is our prayer that Columbus residents and store owners will be flexible and look at the bigger picture ... the lives that can be changed by simply providing affordable transportation.

It is the measure of a community' s true heart by how it deals with the "least of these." May we move forward to provide this vital service for our citizens.